Day 38 MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Reflection of Second half in Summer

15.778 INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

In this course, we learn fundamental concepts in operation management such as throughput rate, Little's law, inventory management, and machine learning optimization. As I introduced in this blog, the theory is totally applicable for many business situations. Especially, the machine learning pipeline is exactly designed by these concepts. (look at my blog post Day 29 in MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Introduction to Operation management 2 - Machine Learning Process Flow Diagram - 足ることを知らず) We started the operations in McDonald's and Burger King to learn the basic concept of input rate, output rate, etc. And we studied the Uber case to overcome the uncertainty of demand. And then, we moved to the fashion industry and how Zara innovated the industry. What I really like about this course is that the professor is familiar with the latest topic and introduces a breakthrough company in the operation. I wrote down some thoughts a little in this article. (Day 30 in MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Introduction to Operation management 3 - SHEIN - 足ることを知らず) Even Zara model becomes a little bit obsolete compared to SHEIN.  For advertising person, this course was truly unfamiliar, but that's why it is really inspiring. 

15.S61 SSIM: ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES

This course contains self-reflection and learning the concepts. Firefighter syndrome is what my company developed in its long history. Everyone in ad agencies somewhat experienced a long night before pitches. After massive efforts to create a deck and involve star players in the pitch team, and negotiations with platformers and advertisers, we win some pitches. These wins are so addictive and many advertising people are so addicted to firefighter syndrome. We like last-minute effort too much. 

Aside from this firefighter syndrome, we learned three lenses framework to see the barrier and strategy to change organization. This course is really great insight for me to think about how to change my organization with proper strategy from political, systematic, and cultural perspectives. 

15.511 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING

To be fair, financial accounting is totally different from other courses. There is no beautiful formula or academic theory behind the rule. This is the rule of business transactions and how it works. Yes, I need to admit the beauty of this rule. Balance sheet is always equally subtracted or added assets and liability/equity. However, I really want to highlight amazing TAs and the professor in this course. They never ever give up teaching us and tried to make the subject interesting. Also, they brought the latest example, so I really get into this topic. 

For example, the case of Microsoft acquisition, aQuantive. We learned how to calculate goodwill from this example. However, for me, it means tons of insights. In the same era, we acquired Innovation Interactive. (After MBO, they are now a part of Publicis, another agency group.) Google acquired double click and YouTube at that time, and we can understand how clever Google is in terms of PMI and the choice of target companies. T The only significant failure of Google acquisition is Motorola, which is the biggest MA in their history. 

By the way, Microsoft needed to record a massive impairment of aQuantive's goodwill. So the acquisition was a failure? No. It is too early to judge. It acquired Xandar from AT&T to enhance its advertising capability and supports Netflix advertising system. 

Learning from cohorts in the summer semester

We already finished a quarter of the program(25%). Then I am seriously thinking about what I really want to achieve in my life.  Some cohorts already have something, others don't, but everyone has strengths and an amazing personality to enable them to live everywhere.  I will explore any potential possibilities in my career and try some crazy experiments during the rest of the program.